2. ROBOTICS For several years Tahoma High School fielded a competitive Robotics Team; Bear Metal 2046 So successful was the endeavor that it spawned a full-time course… A course completely independent of the Robotics Club but with many opportunities Robotics is a “dual-credit” course which can count as both a (1.0) SCIENCE credit AND a (1.0) MATH credit. It also fulfills the graduation requirement for CTE. Teacher: Mr. Collins

3. Robotics is a unique course in other ways, as well. Most striking may be its non-traditional methods of assessment…students are graded on various levels of competency with regard to projects, benchmarks, and competitions. Above all, the successful student is a SELF-DIRECTED LEARNER!! The course is divided as follows; DESIGN FABRICATION & PROGRAMMING

4. Students use computer-aided design software known as Autodesk Inventor

5. First semester will put you in the driver’s seat as early robots are all RC (this is what your hardware looks like). There is a small amount of programming (most of it is done second semester).

6. Students are divided into 8 teams and regularly find themselves in head-to-head competition with peers. Later in the course, cooperative associations are introduced (teamwork).

7. The robots are NOT Lego kits …the fabrication process involves machining (using a Tormach 1100 and MasterCAM CNC mills) and assembly.

8. There is a lot of gaming and competitions between the eight groups. But things rarely go as you planned…which is why problem solving is a prevalent Habit of Mind in the course.

9. Where can you place the bean bags? HIGH MIDDLE or LOW?

10. Second semester you begin working with autonomous robots… …which means you’ll need to start…

12. In addition to learning to program in the language of RobotC you will be learning to work with a VEX cortex microprocessor

17. Robotics can take you to incredible places…if you dare. Even to Gale Crater, Mars!!